Hypericum plant named ‘Kolmfa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum plant named ‘Kolmfa’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; dark green leaves; dark reddish brown-colored fruits; and good postproduction longevity.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION

Hypericum inodorum cultivar Kolmfa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum plant, botanically known as Hypericum inodorum, commerciallyused as cut stems with fruits, and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Kolmfa’.

The new Hypericum is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Wieringerwerf, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop cut Hypericum varieties with attractivefruit coloration.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1998 oftwo unidentified proprietary seedling selections, not patented. Thecultivar Kolmfa was discovered and selected by the Inventor in 2000 as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hypericum by terminal cuttings taken atBoskoop, The Netherlands, has shown that the unique features of this newHypericum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kolmfa’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Kolmfa’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Dark green leaves.

3. Dark reddish brown-colored fruits.

4. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the parent seedlingselections primarily in fruit coloration.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the Hypericumcultivar Excellent Flair, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Boskoop, The Netherlands, plants of the new Hypericumdiffered from plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new Hypericum had darker green-colored leaves thanplants of the cultivar Excellent Flair.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Hypericum did not sunburn whereas leavesof plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair sunburned.

3. Plants of the new Hypericum flowered later than plants of thecultivar Excellent Flair.

4. Fruits of plants of the new Hypericum were darker in color thanfruits of plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair.

5. Plants of the new Hypericum produced more fruits per lateral branchthan plants of the cultivar Excellent Flair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hypericum, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Hypericum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical plant of ‘Kolmfa’.

The photographs on the second sheet (top to bottom) are close-up viewsof typical upper surfaces of developing and fully expanded leaves of‘Kolmfa’, a typical opened flower of ‘Kolmfa’, and typical fruits of‘Kolmfa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Hypericum has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without,however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Boskoop, The Netherlands, in an outdoor nurseryand under commercial production practices. Plants were about two yearsold. The photographs and description were taken during the summer whenoutdoor day temperatures ranged from 14 to 27° C. and day temperaturesranged from 7 to 14° C. In the following description, color referencesare made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Hypericum inodorum cultivar Kolmfa.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of Hypericum inodorum,not patented.

Male parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of Hypericum inodorum,not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 30 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Freely branching; medium thickness; brownish green incolor.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Upright and outwardly spreading perennial woody shrub;globular.

Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely branching; dense and bushygrowth habit.

Plant height.—About 50 cm.

Plant width (spread).—About 70 cm.

Quantity of stems per year.—About 14.

Lateral branches.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internodelength: About 2.3 cm. Strength: Moderate. Texture: Smooth. Color: 183Bto 183C.

Foliage description.—Leaves opposite; single; sessile and generallysymmetrical. Length: About 5 cm. Width: About 2.3 cm. Shape: Ovate.Apex: Obtuse to acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture: Glabrous;slightly rugose. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves,upper surface: 139A. Developing leaves, lower surface: 137D. Fullyexpanded leaves, upper surface: Between 137A and 139A. Fully expandedleaves, lower surface: 137D. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 144C.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Bright yellow single flowers arranged in terminalcompound umbels with about ten flowers per umbel; about 20 flowers andflower buds per lateral branch. Flowers not fragrant. Flowers notpersistent. Flowers upright.

Natural flowering season.—Summer, typically July and August in Boskoop,The Netherlands; flowering period typically lasts about 60 days.

Postproduction longevity.—Cut flower are typically harvested when allflowers have developed fruits. Postproduction longevity of cut stemswith fruits is about two weeks.

Inflorescence height.—About 3 cm.

Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.

Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 14A.

Flowers.—Diameter: About 3 cm. Depth: About 1.4 cm.

Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 7mm. Shape: Broadly elliptic to almost orbicular. Aspect: Concave. Apex:Obtuse to acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper andlower surfaces: Smooth. Color: Developing and fully expanded petals,upper surface: 12A to 13B; color does not fade with subsequentdevelopment. Developing and fully expanded petals, lower surface: 12A to13B.

Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 7mm. Shape: Ovate. Aspect: Convex. Apex: Obtuse to acute. Base: Broadlycuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth.Color: Developing and fully expanded sepals, upper surface: 137A.Developing and fully expanded sepals, lower surface: 143A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Orientation:Erect to about 10° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Color:183B to 183C.

Pedicels.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Orientation: Erectto about 50° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Color: 143B.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 85. Anthershape: Broadly ovate. Anther length: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: 17B to17C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 12A to 13B. Pistils:Quantity per flower: Three. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape:Globular. Stigma color: Close to 34A. Style length: About 4.9 mm. Stylecolor: 150C. Ovary color: 150B to 150C.

Fruits.—Quantity per flower: One. Days to ripening: About 25. Longevityon the plant: About 30 days. Type: Capsule. Shape: Ellipsoidal. Length:About 1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 183Ato 183B; on a cream-colored, close to 11D, background, most noticeableat the base.

Seeds.—Quantity per fruit: More than 100. Length: About 0.8 mm.Diameter: About 0.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 199A to N199A.

Disease resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have not been observedto be resistant to pathogens common to Hypericum.

Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been observed totolerate temperatures ranging from −15 to 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hypericum plant named‘Kolmfa’, as illustrated and described.